


Obstacles

by elcondorpasa



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Bad Writing, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, Fluff and Angst, I'm Bad At Tagging, Major Original Character(s), Minor Original Character(s), Multi, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Snarky Tony, Swearing, Thor Is Not Stupid, Tony Stark Has A Heart, bucky is tol, original character is smol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2018-11-22 18:38:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11386065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elcondorpasa/pseuds/elcondorpasa
Summary: Bucky Barnes is recovering. He should be focusing on adapting to the 21st century and coping with his past, not drooling over the pretty girl in the Stark Tower lobby.





	1. Something Good

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter fic. I'm so sorry if this intro is utter shit. It's 3 AM and this idea keeps coming into my head. I couldn't find a fic like this, so I made my own. I own nothing except for the OCs. I listened to a lot of the Life Is Strange soundtrack while writing this. Enjoy!

He felt the air leave his lungs the moment his eyes fell on her. The world suddenly stopped, and James Buchanan Barnes had never felt so awestruck in his entire long life. The object of his newfound affection stood no more than 10 feet from him, waiting for an elevator to descend. To anyone, she’d be lost in a sea of people, other agents, waiting for a lift to start their work day. But to Bucky Barnes, she stood out like they were the only two left alive on this planet. Every cheesy, cliched, bullshit feeling of love at first sight raced through Bucky’s head. He didn’t care.

A heavy-handed clap on his back brought Bucky back to reality. Annoyed, he turned to see Steve and Sam in their combat gear. Having not yet been approved for combat, James would not be joining his friends just yet in the pursuit to abolish Hydra once and for all.

“You sure you’re gonna be okay, Buck?”

Bucky sighed and ran a large, metal hand over his face. Gruffly, he replied, “Yes, mother.”

Sam chuckled, and Steve’s worried expression briefly became one of exasperation. The blonde, soldier removed his hand from the former assassin’s shoulder, “Look, I know my worrying can get annoying. You’re my oldest pal and I couldn’t stand loosing you again, Jerk.” Behind Steve’s gushy confession, Bucky saw Sam make a vomiting gesture with his mouth and finger. None the wiser, Steve slapped his puppy dog eyed smile on and Bucky caved. “Look Steve, I appreciate your concern. I’m okay for now. I promise. You guys go on and kick some Hydra ass for me and try and not get yourselves killed.”

Steve gave Bucky one last worried glance and then turned to retreat with Sam. Bucky let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He suddenly remembered the woman and turned to see an almost empty lobby. Irritated that he had lost sight of her, Bucky huffed and made his way towards the elevators to return to his and Steve’s apartment. Bucky’s day proceeded as normal. He spent a good hour or two trying to catch up with pop culture. No matter how hard he tried, though, Bucky accepted the fact that he’d just never know how the fuck to operate an iPhone. Deciding to skip lunch, Bucky headed to the team’s gym for his daily workout.

He grabbed a bottle of water and a towel before stepping out and locking his apartment’s door. He thought a good session in the gym would prepare him and release a bit of tension before his afternoon session with Dr. Stevens. A quick walk to the elevator and Bucky was on his way down to the basement. Before reaching it’s designated destination, however, the elevator stopped to pick up another passenger. The doors opened and Bucky looked up, his eyes snapping open like a deer caught in headlights. The woman from that morning boarded with nothing more than a quick once over of Bucky, who was quickly trying to make a mental note of the floor that the car had been stopped on. 12. She worked on floor twelve, or so he assumed.

The woman stood slightly in front of Bucky and he could not keep his eyes from burning a hole in the back of her head. He thought about how shiny her hair looked, even in the gross fluorescent lighting. The woman didn’t let on if she knew how incredibly creepy this random ass guy in an elevator was being. They reached the main level far too quickly for Bucky’s liking. The woman walked out, but before she stepped completely away, she turned and said, “I saw you this morning looking at me. It’s uncomfortable. Stop staring at me or I’ll kick your ass, Creep.”

The elevator doors closed, separating the two strangers. Bucky spent the rest of his ride to the gym in complete shock. He was having a lot of mixed feelings about what had happened just now. On one hand, the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen had just fucking talked to him. On the other hand, she thought he was a complete freak and probably wanted to kick his teeth in. Bucky, ever the fool, thought the woman looked ten times more beautiful when she was determined and angry. Wrapped up in his thoughts, Bucky missed Natasha and Clint walking into the gym right beside him. Natasha didn’t miss how Bucky made no acknowledgment of the two. Odd.

“Barnes.” Clint said coolly, making his way towards the archery range Tony had installed. Natasha set her bag down and sized up the brooding, brunette. His stupid, dopey smile gave it all away. “You met someone.” Natasha smirked. Bucky snapped out of it and gave Natasha a passive look. “You’re crazy, Red.” But Natasha knew. Bucky even knew Natasha knew, but brushed her off and tried to push the thoughts of the fiery woman from earlier out of his head and continued with his work out. Natasha simply shook her head and headed towards Clint to let him in on the newfound information.

While Bucky enjoyed his workout, aside from the knowingly looks Nat and Clint kept throwing him, it didn’t do much to relieve the anxious feeling in his gut. He dreaded his therapy sessions. He felt vulnerable and weak and often he’d feel so emotionally drained afterwards, that he’d simply skip dinner and sleep through until the next day. Freshly showered and dressed, Bucky sat with a bouncing leg on the 6th floor of Stark Tower. He had been seeing Dr. Stevens for three consecutive months. Dr. Stevens has been there when Bucky was pulled from cyro in Wakanda. A petite, blonde popped her head out of the door to the right of Bucky and informed him that Dr. Stevens was ready for him. Gathering his scattered thoughts, Bucky moved towards the office as slowly as he could. The weight in his stomach was growing and every step became a little slower, heavier. A deep breath and Bucky pushed himself into the small, office. An aged man stood near the only window in the room, cleaning his glasses. “Mr. Barnes, please sit. Shall we pick up from last week’s session?”

Shaken and with trembling hands, Bucky found himself turning the doorknob to his apartment. He went directly to his room and fell onto his bed with a soft thud. His tears had dried, his face now stained. Bucky could curse and mope about his sessions all he wanted (and he did), but for him to say that they didn’t help would be a lie. While he didn’t feel completely okay just yet, he could tell with each passing appointment and the now inconsistent nightmares, that things were looking up. He was throwing himself into trying to feel like a normal human being again. He was making more friends, besides Steve. The team were beginning to trust him, and Stark had even smiled at him last week. Besides the awkward encounter with the woman in the elevator, Bucky hadn’t met anyone in the Tower opposed to him. In the back of his mind he figured they were all super nice given the fact that the Winter Soldier could probably kill them all 20 different ways, but it was a nice gesture when some of the agents invited him to sit with them in the cafeteria. Bucky turned to his side and tried to settle in for the night. Just as he was about the pass out, a face entered his thoughts. The woman from the elevator. He felt bad for not knowing her name. He felt bad for making her uncomfortable. He thought about what her name might be.

Vanessa? No, she didn’t look like a Vanessa. Maybe it was Skyler? Jennifer? Maria? No, no, no. Plain names didn’t match her. She just seemed so other worldly, no name Bucky could muster up seemed right. In that moment before he slipped into unconsciousness, he decided he would find the woman tomorrow and apologize, while hopefully learning her name.


	2. All The Beautiful Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK. I am back. I've been so busy with school and I still am super busy. I'm going to try and post more often though, as writing helps me de-stress. I hope you enjoy this!

It’d been two weeks. Two whole weeks and Bucky had yet to find the woman from the elevator who threatened to kick his ass. He was so confused, and slightly frustrated, at how one woman could just disappear. He’d rather die, though, than ask for help with this task. 

So, he waits. And waits. 

And finally, on a rainy Friday evening, he sees her. It was a total coincidence of course. It isn’t like Bucky just sat around, moping, waiting to find her. That would be creepy, and Bucky Barnes was a lot of things, but a creep is not one of them. Bucky had been attending an evaluation that would determine whether he would be clear to begin missions. He’d been trying his hardest during his sessions with Dr. Stevens and sticking participating more in team activities. Bucky was riding a high that went along with what he thought was a successful evaluation when he saw her. She looked the same as before. The same suite that would, on anyone else seem drab, but somehow looked stylish and chic when worn by her. She was standing in the same spot where the former assassin had spotted her the first time. Bucky thought it odd that she was working so late. Sure, Stark could be a hard-ass and overwork some of his employees, but Fridays were typically cut short for most departments. Bucky figured the woman was catching up on work and didn’t question it further. Instead, he decides to move closer.

“Hello?”

Bucky mentally kicks himself. Why was his voice quivering? Why did he sound uncertain? Where was the James Barnes from the 40s who at least knew how to talk to people without sounding like a nervous mess?

The woman turned, cautiously, Bucky noticed, and stared with a blank expression. Bucky chuckled nervously and attempted to break the tension, “Wonderful weather we’re having, isn’t it?” As if comically timed, a clap of thunder rang out. The woman continued to stare at Bucky and suddenly, despite his six-foot frame, the man felt so small. He noticed the shade of her eyes reminded him of honey and cinnamon. They were deep, and he felt that he was beginning to lose himself. He heard a few soft murmurs and a pause, and finally he asked, “I’m sorry, come again?”

“I said: If you think this is wonderful, you might try moving to Seattle.”

Bucky blinked, and the dead stare of the woman had been replaced with a small smile. Astonishing. Bucky figured he’d do anything to elicit that same smile for the rest of his life. “Hmm, Seattle huh? Heard they have a good music scene, any spots worth seeing?” This response seemed to make the woman smile wider and Bucky swore he felt his knees buckle. 

“Most people will tell you to go to the Space Needle or the Pike Place Market, but those sights are for chumps. Sure, they’re great and everyone should go. However, I think a trip to Unicorn Bar and going to see the Gum Wall is much better.”

“…Gum Wall?” 

“Oh, yeah! It’s basically this wall in an alleyway downtown absolutely covered in chewed gum. Even got a few pieces of yours truly up there.”  
Bucky laughed, an actual laugh and not the fake chuckle he’d practiced and use for team “bonding”. He was absolutely amazed that this conversation was even taking place. 

“That is…. disgusting, but somehow sounds so cool. I’d love to see that.”

“We’ll go one day, for sure.”

The woman laughed, and it was Bucky’s turn to stare. Did she just say “we”? As in, we, her and me? The pair continued talking and Bucky learned that the woman was from Seattle and had a mother and brother who stilled lived there. She explained how her teenage years were practically spent eating burgers from Dick’s Drive-In.

“Well, I should get going,” The woman pushed a dark lock out of her face and smiled before continuing, “It was nice chatting with you….” 

“Bucky. Bucky Barnes.”

“Well, Bucky,” she tested the name and Bucky was damn sure if his knees didn’t buckle earlier, the did this time, “I’m glad I ran into you. I thought my day was going to be a total bore, but you definitely turned that around, so thank you.” 

Bucky smirked coolly, “Anytime, doll.” 

The pet name made the woman playfully roll her eyes, but a smile broke out on her face. “Later, Barnes.” She called as she moved towards the elevator that had been waiting for a handful of moments. Before she disappeared again, Bucky only slightly remembered to ask for the woman’s name. 

“I didn’t catch your name!” 

“I didn’t throw it,” she responded sarcastically. 

The elevator door began to close when a small hand shot out to catch it. “My name is Tanda.”. Bucky smiled so big that his cheeks began to hurt. He’d finally found and spoke with her. He did completely blank on apologizing for their first encounter, but Bucky was on cloud 9 at having had an actual conversation with her. With Tanda. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts as he walked back to his room, he didn’t even think about the lack of recognition on Tanda’s face when he’d said his name. He gave no thought to the fact that she gave no indication of their previous encounter where she had threatened Bucky. No, all he could think about was the way her mouth formed around his name and the flecks of gold in her dark eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so short, but it's almost 1am and I have a 5 page essay due at 8am. I hope you liked it anyways!

**Author's Note:**

> Lol this was probably a shitty intro and I'm sorry it's so short.


End file.
